Centred around a peaceful plaza, Marinilla is a traditional Colombian town to the east of Medellin. It was founded in 1680 and has been nicknamed the “Colombian Sparta” due to its residents’ involvement in almost all of the country’s conflicts. Marinilla is particularly notable as one of the first towns to offer independence fighters in support of Simon Bolivar.
Things to do in Marinilla
In the heart of Marinilla is the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion, a whitewashed church constructed in 1802. Its elegant facade was inspired by Spanish colonial villas and was redesigned by the French architect Carlos Carre in 1891. Step inside to admire the tranquil interior with its gilded features and stained-glass windows.
Don’t miss the Museo del Cristo y las Cruces, which boasts one of the world’s largest collections of crucifixes. It houses more than 2,700 crosses from all corners of the globe, including Kenya, Argentina and Egypt. Many of the objects were gifted to the city by Roberto Hoyos Castaño, a local politician who collected them on his world travels.
Marinilla also makes a good base for visiting the Museo Historico Casa de la Convencion, where the National Convention of the United States of Colombia was held in 1863. Within its rammed earth walls, you’ll find historic documents, artefacts and furnishings from the 19th century, as well as exhibits dedicated to independence heroes and Colombian saints. Paintings and photographs by local artists are also on display.
Getting around Marinilla
Marinilla is around an hour’s drive from Medellin and 30 minutes from Jose Maria Cordova International Airport, which has flights to destinations across the Americas. Regular buses connect to Marinilla and the town centre is compact enough to explore on foot.